Mean Deviation: Opeth’s Boffo Billboard Feature, Beers, and Big Tour

September 16, 2016

All the way back in 2006, Swedish Death Metal author Daniel Ekeroth author wrote about Opeth: “Their commercial and critical success has been beyond imagination.” A decade hence, with their twelfth studio album, Sorceress, poised for release on September 30, Opeth stands at an enviable peak almost as cosmic as their prog-infused metal music (or really metal-infused prog, a this point).

Now no less a mainstream institution than music biz bible Billboard has profiled the band. Not bad for an extreme metal battalion that initially emerged in 1990 from Stockholm’s dark fringes, hoping to hold a black candle to their idols Bathory, Voivod, and Mefisto. The Billboard piece, “Seven Facts About the Making of Opeth’s New Album ‘Sorceress’”, crunches its Opeth insights into a handy list form (examples: “‘Sorceress’ Cover Is Both ‘Beautiful and Disgusting’”; “Drummer Martin Axerot Was a Songwriting Inspiration”).

In addition, co-founding singer and guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt offers his own take on Sorceress versus Opeth’s 2014 release, Pale Communion, calling the new record “a bit more catchy.” He also stresses his passion for Opeth-branded beer, both Communion Pale Ale and the XXV Anniversary Imperial Stout. “If you have one of [the Stout], you don’t really need to eat for a week and you also get very drunk.”

Opeth will play Ozzfest Meets Knotfest on Sept 24 before hitting the road for a North American tour with the Sword, then tackling Europe, and ultimately wrapping up 2016 in Australia. The itinerary includes numerous prestige venues such as Radio City Music Hall, and many of the dates are already sold out: